Boost Your Sales with Google Map Listings

In a world where customers can easily search for and find businesses online, having a strong online presence is essential for any business looking to boost their sales. And one powerful tool that many businesses overlook is Google Maps.

Google Maps is not just a tool for finding directions and locations. It is also a platform where businesses can list their services and products, connect with customers, and increase their visibility online. With over 1 billion monthly active users, Google Maps has become a popular search engine for local businesses, making it an incredibly powerful tool for businesses looking to expand their customer base and increase their sales.

By listing your business on Google Maps, you can increase your online visibility, making it easier for potential customers to find you. Moreover, by providing detailed information about your business, such as your hours of operation, contact information, and customer reviews, you can build trust with potential customers and increase the likelihood of them choosing your business over your competitors.

In this blog, we will explore the various ways in which listing your business on Google Maps can help you boost your sales by up to 300%. We will share tips and strategies for optimising your Google Maps listing, including how to create a compelling business profile, how to manage customer reviews, and how to use Google Maps to drive more foot traffic to your business.

What You Need to Know About Google Maps Listings to Boost Your Business

Google Maps is a highly versatile application that can be used to locate businesses, get directions, and explore areas. For businesses, it’s an excellent way to make sure customers can easily find them. 

It’s free to use and provides a range of features that can help businesses stand out from the competition, including the ability to add photos, descriptions, and operating hours. By optimising their Google Maps listing, businesses can increase their visibility, attract new customers, and enhance their online reputation. 

Overall, Google Maps is an essential tool for any business looking to increase their online presence and reach more customers in their local area.

Google My Business (GMB)

Google My Business is a free tool that lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps. With GMB, you can:

• Update your business information, such as hours and phone number
• Add photos and videos of your business
• Respond to reviews
• See how many people are finding and interacting with your business on Google

Optimising Your Listing

Optimising your Google Maps listing is critical if you want to show up at the top of the search results. Here are the factors that matter most:

• Complete your GMB listing: Make sure your listing is complete and accurate. This means filling out all of the fields, adding photos and videos, and verifying your business.
  
• Get citations: Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. The more high-quality citations you have, the better. This tells Google that your business is legitimate and trustworthy.
  
• Encourage reviews: Reviews are another important ranking factor. Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google Maps listing. The more positive reviews you have, the better.

Why It Matters

If you’re not convinced that Google Maps is worth your time, consider these statistics:

• Every month, over a billion people use Google Maps.
• Google Maps has been downloaded more than 10 billion times on the Google Play Store.
• A significant majority (67%) of Samsung smartphone owners regularly use Google Maps, whereas only 12% use Waze, which is the next most popular navigation app. Google acquired Waze back in 2013.
• Google Maps is available in more than 220 countries and territories.
• Google Maps now supports 40 languages, with the addition of 39 new languages.
• As of 2019, Google’s Street View car and trekker operations have captured over 170 billion images from 87 countries for Google Street View.

By optimising your Google Maps listing, you can attract more customers to your business and increase your revenue. It’s a simple process that doesn’t require a lot of technical expertise, but it can have a big impact on your bottom line.

How to Create Your Google Business Listing

Here are some steps to create your Google Business Listing:

• Sign up with your Gmail account: Head over to Google.com/business and sign up with your Gmail account. If you don’t have a Gmail account yet, you can easily create one for free.
  
• Choose your business type: Select whether you have a storefront or a service area business. If customers come to your location, choose “storefront”, and if you provide services at customer locations or online, choose “service area.”
  
• Enter your business address: Google Maps will show your business location on the map. Ensure that you copy the exact address that Google provides as it will be your official address for everything related to your business.
  
• Choose your business category: Google offers a list of categories to choose from. Select the one that best represents your business. This helps Google understand what your business is all about and who your potential customers are.
  
• Verify your business listing: Google will send a postcard with a verification number to your business address. Once you receive the postcard, log in to your Google My Business account, enter the verification code, and your listing will be verified. 

Optimising your Google Business Listing

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Now that you’ve created your Google Business Listing, here are some tips to optimise it for maximum visibility and impact:

• Add detailed information: Include as much information as possible about your business, such as your business hours, phone number, website URL, and a description of your business.
  
• Add photos and videos: Visual content is essential in attracting potential customers. Upload high-quality photos and videos that showcase your business.
  
• Encourage customer reviews: Positive customer reviews help to build trust and credibility for your business. Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Listing.
  
• Monitor and respond to reviews: Responding to customer reviews, whether positive or negative, shows that you care about your customers and their feedback.

Maximising Results with Image Optimisation and Citations

While creating a great description for your business is essential, it’s just the first step. Optimising your images and citations can make a big difference in getting your map listing ranked higher on Google. Here are some tips to maximise your results:

• Use Citations in Images: Google uses bots to read websites, but they have trouble with images. By naming your images with relevant keywords, descriptions, and including your business NAP (name, address, phone number), you help Google understand what your image is about and where it is relevant to.
  
• Have 10-15 Unique Photos: Try to have a minimum of three images for each category in your business listing. You can’t have too many relevant images, so get as many as you can.
  
• Rename and Optimise Your Images: Rename each image with a relevant keyword, then add it to the “Title” and “Subject” fields in the image details. Include relevant tags and your NAP in the comments. Repeat these steps for all your images.
  
• Geotag Your Images: Use a tool like GeoImgr to upload your images, search for your business address, and apply the geotag. This helps Google pinpoint your business location and associate it with information-rich images.

By following these steps, you can launch your listing to the top of the map results for low competition businesses. For other businesses, you’ll want to keep up the momentum by optimising your site, sharing custom maps with directions to your business, and getting your newly optimised images on big-name sites like Facebook.

Boost Your Visibility Online Today

Incorporating Google Map listings into your marketing strategy is a surefire way to boost your sales by up to 300%. With over a billion users, Google Maps is a popular and powerful tool that can help you attract more customers to your business. 

By optimising your listing, you can make it easier for people to find your business, learn more about your products or services, and ultimately make a purchase. With the right approach, you can make your business stand out on the map and attract new customers who are searching for the products or services you offer. For more information, reach out and contact Kia Ora Digital today.